Earthly Fiend Sword Formation (Please Bookmark, Please Recommend)

Ling Ruxian nodded lightly, then asked, "How strong is your divine sense now?"

"If I spread my divine sense with all my strength, it can cover an area sixty-five zhang around me!" Ling Pengyun's expression shifted slightly at Ling Ruxian's seemingly unprompted question about his divine sense. He immediately recalled how, when he had left the Ling Clan, Ling Ruxian had told him that because his divine sense was powerful, he would be granted a stroke of fortune. Thus, he answered truthfully.

Hearing this, Ling Ruxian showed a trace of delight and explained in detail, "Not bad. This level of divine sense is far stronger than mine was at the Qi Training Fifth Layer. By the time your cultivation reaches the Qi Training Sixth Layer, the strength of your divine sense will likely be comparable to that of a Qi Training Late Stage cultivator!"

"The opportunity I promised you was to pass down to you the Sword Formation I know. It is called the Earthly Fiend Sword Formation. There are two difficulties in wielding it. First, it places extremely high demands on a cultivator's divine sense. Ordinary Cultivators below the Qi Training Late Stage can scarcely wield multiple flying swords at once, let alone command several flying swords to form a Sword Formation and attack simultaneously!"

"Second, the sword formula for forming the Sword Formation is exceedingly difficult to comprehend! Without comprehending the sword formula, even if one can wield several flying swords at once through divine sense, they would be without a soul and unable to form a true Sword Formation!"

"Your divine sense is already close to the minimum requirement for cultivating this Sword Formation. This time, you have also rendered considerable service to the Ling Clan, so I will first give you the method for comprehending this sword formula. As for how to wield the Sword Formation, I can only teach you that after you have the talent to fully comprehend this sword formula!"

"However, once you accept my sword formula, whether or not you can master it, you must uphold my lifelong resolve to protect the clan! Protect the clan in my stead for the rest of your life!"

As he spoke, Ling Ruxian took a book from the Storage Bag at his waist and handed it to Ling Pengyun.

Ling Pengyun was overjoyed. This was the core sword formula of a Sword Formation. Once he comprehended it, he would master a formidable method of attack.

An increase in strength was what every cultivator desired.

He did not hesitate in the slightest. He had long possessed the will to protect the clan. He and the Ling Clan had already become one, inseparable; most cultivators of the clan were the same.

"Even without the Sword Formation bestowed by Thirteenth Grandfather, this grandson would still protect the clan for life. It is my duty as a member of the Ling Clan!" Ling Pengyun said solemnly. Only then did he accept the sword formula offered to him.

Although Ling Ruxian said nothing, the rare faint smile appearing on his cold face was enough to show his current mood.

"Take me to the Mystic Water Iron Mine within Azure Stone Lake."

Ling Pengyun's thoughts had long drifted beyond the nine heavens, imagining himself becoming a Sword Immortal, wielding the Three Yang Sword Formation and fighting enemies beyond his realm.

Hearing Ling Ruxian call to him, he finally came back to his senses. He led Ling Ruxian around the eyes of the Azure Stone Village villagers and slipped into the Profound Water Mineral Vein within the Underground River beneath Azure Stone Lake.

Avoiding the villagers' gazes was also because they feared arousing their suspicions.

In the eyes of the Azure Stone Village villagers, this "immortal," Ling Pengyun, had always spent every day in secluded cultivation and rarely left the mountain.

Now that he was frequently slipping into Azure Stone Lake, the Azure Stone Village villagers would surely grow suspicious.

If spies from other clans hidden among the Azure Stone Village villagers noticed this unusual activity and leaked it to the outside world, things would become serious.

The matter of spies was highly possible. Even among the Ling Clan's cultivators, there might be scum bought off by other clans.

After Ling Pengyun brought Ling Ruxian into the mineral vein within the Underground River of Azure Stone Lake, Ling Ruxian gave him a few instructions to properly comprehend the sword formula, then dismissed Ling Pengyun.

Ling Ruxian himself remained behind to guard the mineral vein.

Not long afterward, after Ling Pengyun quietly returned to the cave on Azure Stone Mountain, he swiftly sat cross-legged on the ground and began reading the sword formula manual Ling Ruxian had given him.

At the beginning, the manual briefly described the Earthly Fiend Sword Formation.

The Earthly Fiend Sword Formation was created based on the seventy-two Earthly Fiend Stars scattered across the heavens. At full power, it could command seventy-two flying swords, forming the Earthly Fiend Sword Formation to attack incoming enemies.

According to the manual, divine sense at the Qi Refining realm could command at most nine flying swords, forming a small Earthly Fiend Sword Formation.

Divine sense at the Foundation Establishment realm could command at most thirty-six flying swords, forming a medium-sized Earthly Fiend Sword Formation.

Only upon reaching Golden Core Completion could one unleash the Earthly Fiend Sword Formation at its full strength, combining seventy-two flying swords into a massive Sword Formation powerful enough to contend with Nascent Soul experts.

This Sword Formation was also divided into nine levels, with three levels each for Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, and Golden Core.

"I wonder what sort of extraordinary person created such a powerful Sword Formation. It truly is astonishing!"

Merely reading the line stating that a Golden Core Completion cultivator could combine seventy-two flying swords and contend with a Nascent Soul expert across realms for one or two moves made Ling Pengyun's heart pound. Without needing to think further, he understood just how powerful the Earthly Fiend Sword Formation was.

This sword formula manual did not record who had created the Earthly Fiend Sword Formation.

"It is only a pity that Thirteenth Grandfather recorded in this manual that the Sword Formation he obtained was incomplete, containing only the first four levels of the sword formula! It can only command twelve flying swords to form the Sword Formation!"

Ling Pengyun sighed helplessly.

"But that makes sense. If our Ling Clan possessed the complete sword formula for this Earthly Fiend Sword Formation, we likely would not be able to keep it. We might even face the calamity of clan destruction because of this Sword Formation!"

A common man was innocent, but he became guilty by possessing a jade.

As the secret art equipped by sword cultivators with the greatest offensive power in the world, Sword Formations were naturally fervently sought after by countless people.

Even non-sword cultivators could unleash more than eighty percent of a Sword Formation's power, achieving the effect of fighting enemies beyond their realm.

There were only a few sparse lines introducing the Earthly Fiend Sword Formation. What followed was the cultivation method for the "Earthly Fiend Swordplay Secret."

After carefully reading through the Earthly Fiend Swordplay Secret just once, Ling Pengyun felt his head swell. Comprehending this sword formula would likely be fraught with difficulties.

"It is actually so obscure and difficult to understand!"

Even so, Ling Pengyun had no intention of giving up on comprehending the sword formula.

This Sword Formation could raise his combat strength by several tenths and allow him to fight enemies beyond his realm.

Looking at the sword formula manual in his hand, Ling Pengyun thought of something.

"According to Thirteenth Grandfather, one needs powerful divine sense to comprehend this sword formula."

"Then it seems Third Brother's divine sense must also far surpass that of ordinary people, and his comprehension must be exceptional as well. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for him to completely master the Earthly Fiend Sword Formation years ago, when he was still only at the Qi Training Fifth or Sixth Layer!" Ling Pengyun muttered to himself.

"My advantages in comprehension and divine sense are not that significant before Third Brother."

"The only things I can rely on that might surpass Third Brother are the Nameless Daoist Scripture in my Sea of Consciousness and my Natal Spirit Plant, the Thorn Vine, which has exceptional foundations. With these two advantages, I should not be left too far behind by Third Brother while at the Qi Refining realm!"

The Thorn Vine could become his support not only because it could transform into Wood Armor to protect Ling Pengyun and assist in battle, but also because a Spirit Plant Farmer's Natal Spirit Plant would feed a great amount of spiritual power back into its Master's body after breaking through a realm.